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DS: LETTER TO MINISTER U SOE THA





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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION WHICH NEITHER SUPPORTS   
NOR OPPOSES GOVERNMENTS

ANJA SLOOT
GASHOUDERSTRAAT 9
1815 BC ALKMAAR
THE NETHERLANDS


07 December 1996

U Soe Tha
Minister of Communications, Post and Telecommunications
Minister's Office
Yangon
Union of Myanmar

Dear Mr. U Soe Tha,
As a member of Amnesty International I welcome the release of Daw Aung San Suu 
Kyi from her most recent house arrest, as well as the release of other 
political prisoners in the recent period. The entire international community 
welcomes releases of political prisoners as an important step in establishing 
democracy in Burma. Respect for Human Rights is, I believe, the corner stone 
for democracy.
Yet we are aware that hundreds of political prisoners, if not more, remain 
unjustly imprisoned in Burma. We hope that the State Law and Order Restoration 
Council will take the right steps towards democracy and releases all political 
prisoners.
Please allow me to express my deep concern about San Myaing, a student who was 
arrested for his non-violent exercise of the international adopted right to 
express his political opinion. He was one of the thousands of students 
arrested in Rangoon and Mandalay on December 10 and 11 1991, after joining 
demonstrations that called for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. San Myaing 
was given a ten-year sentence by a military tribunal in 1992.  We are 
concerned that San Myaing may be a prisoner of conscience. Despite repeated 
inquiries to Rangoon his whereabouts remain unknown. We hope that the State 
Law and Order Restoration Council will show compassion to San Myaing and his 
family and respect international conventions by confirming his whereabouts. We 
know that he is detained in either Taungoo prison in Bago Division or in 
Myingyan prison in Magway Division.
I would appreciate it to receive information on where San is being held, the 
state of his health and the medical treatment and legal assistance he 
receives. 
Yours sincerely,
Anja Sloot
the Netherlands